Land RoverDefender Range
Land Rover customers are some of the most demanding and knowledgeable of any car marque. Most will put up with any kind of lifestyle stylings applied to the Freelander, Discovery and Range Rover lines as long as parent company Ford doesnt mess with the Defender, the vehicle better known to most as the definitive Land Rover. That wish has been granted but it hasnt stopped Land Rover from raiding the Ford empire for improved parts. The latest Defender features an improved diesel engine and gearbox and a whole host of detail improvements.
Only a Luddite would claim that the changes are a retrograde step, particularly with prices very little changed starting at £18,645. There can certainly be no complaints about ditching the old Td5 powerplant in favour of a 2.4-litre four-cylinder diesel that offers a similar 122bhp power output but which trounces the old powerplant when it comes to torque. Where the Td5 managed a peak of 221lb/ft, the latest engine is significantly brawnier, offering up a full 265lb/ft serving.
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The six-speed gearbox offers an even lower first ratio which can really capitalise on the improved torque while sixth gear has been stretched out to offer cruising ability which doesnt require passengers to converse via loud hailers.
"The real thing is now a little easier to live with"
Theres even an improvement to the Defenders notoriously utilitarian facia, this model now featuring a single large moulding supported on a robust steel rail. Its still not something youd mistake for an Audi Q7 part but it is a lot better at eliminating the sort of twitters and squeaks that made the old Defenders interior sound like an audio track for Bill Oddies Wildwatch. Instruments have been filched from the Discovery3 production line and there are numerous ergonomic advantages. A passenger side grab handle offers two-handed support during gnarly off-road manoeuvres, while there is also a lot more useable stowage.
Two console options are offered: a practical open tray design that keeps contents handy or a lidded design that offers 14-litres of storage out of harms way. Ill just be hopeful that Land Rover has built a Defender that I can get in and out of without tearing a hole in my trousers on some sharp edge or catch. Improved front seats and ventilation are fitted, as well as upgraded audio systems. The in-car entertainment systems have been augmented to take advantage of Defenders improved refinement.
For the first time, high-mounted tweeters are available in Defender and work in conjunction with the revised speaker installation for significantly improved clarity and sound reproduction. An auxiliary/MP3 audio input socket is also available. The facia now houses a beefed up heating and ventilation system that warms the cabin 40 per cent quicker than before and can achieve cabin temperatures a full 12°C higher. The air-conditioning system can cool the cabin in half the time of the old unit, and achieve cabin temperatures 7°C lower too. The addition of side window demist vents helps maintain visibility whatever the weather. As before, the chassis is available in three wheelbases - 90, 110 and 130 - and in both standard and heavy duty guises. A total of fourteen different body styles, including pick-ups, soft tops, crew cabs and station wagons, are available, with many more custom-built by Land Rovers Special Vehicle Operations team.
Examples of these include airport fire tenders, ambulances and mobile hydraulic platforms. The exterior has been changed very little, the revised bonnet profile being the only clue that this is the latest Defender. As the projects chief designer points out, "Defenders timeless exterior has become synonymous with functional design. Every line and surface seems to be linked to the vehicles extraordinary capability, so we deliberately changed very little." Its a wise move as the basic vehicle is as popular now as it was 50 years ago. Indeed, the Ministry of Defence recently ordered nearly 9,000 of them to keep the armed forces mobile, with no rival offering anything like the value and functionality of the Defender. Even today, Land Rover shifts over 25,000 Defenders per year. In other words, its a more successful vehicle than many people realise.
As nearly everyone knows, the car was originally developed as an agricultural vehicle out of post-war necessity. Rover engineering boss Maurice Wilks wanted a 4x4 for his farm. So he built one, using aluminium rather than steel (rationed at the time). In this way the `Landy` legend was born. More than 1.5 million Land Rover vehicles have been produced since the original was launched in 1948 but all stem from that genesis. Long may it continue.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Land Rover Defender Range
PRICES: £18,645-£26,605 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 10
CO2 EMISSIONS: 270-290g/km [est]
PERFORMANCE: [90 Station Wagon] Max Speed 82mph / 0-60mph 15s [est]
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [90 Station Wagon] [combined] 28mpg [est]
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: [90] Station Wagon Length/Width/Height mm 3922/1992/2018mm
